Hardwick, near Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB23 2RX
Hardwick Wood
Coppice woodland
Source image
7.0
Wildland
1–2 hours
Time
Free
Cost
Peaceful
Feel
Why it's Wildland
7.0A 15-hectare woodland with a sinuous medieval outline, a substantial wood bank and coppicing reinstated in 1979.
Hardwick Wood offers more than a quiet woodland stroll: its medieval outline and surviving wood bank give the landscape a visible sense of age, while restored coppicing opens the canopy for flowers, insects and woodland birds.
Peaceful · Ancient-feeling
Find your way
Open mapHardwick, near Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB23 2RX
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The experience
A compact woodland visit focused on the wood’s medieval outline, coppiced areas and wildlife. Follow the signposted bridleway from Highfields Caldecote; the Wildlife Trust advises that the site is unsuitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Things to do
Look for the medieval wood bank
Notice the substantial bank around the wood, particularly well preserved on its south and east sides.
Notice the coppiced areas
Look for areas where coppicing has opened the canopy. The Wildlife Trust says coppicing was reinstated in 1979 and that the practice benefits flowers and insects.
Listen for woodland birds
In spring, listen for woodpeckers drumming. The Wildlife Trust also names willow warbler, marsh tit and blackcap among the woodland songbirds.
Look along the Mere Way boundary ditch
The ditch banks along the wood’s western boundary provide habitat for cowslips and the rare crested cow-wheat.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · About 1–2 hours; duration is an estimate, not a sourced walk time.
Quick woodland visit
- 01
Park in Highfields Caldecote and follow the signposted bridleway at TL350582.
- 02
At the wood, turn left to find the entrance.
- 03
Explore the woodland, looking for the sinuous outline, wood bank and evidence of coppicing.
- 04
Return by the same access route.
Verified history
The Wildlife Trust describes Hardwick Wood as medieval woodland, identifiable by its sinuous outline and substantial wood bank, well preserved on the south and east sides. Coppicing ceased in the early 20th century and was reinstated in 1979. The source does not give a more specific date for the woodland’s origins.
Hidden details
The surviving wood bank — The wood bank is especially well preserved on the south and east sides, where it offers a tangible clue to the woodland’s medieval outline.
Crested cow-wheat by the Mere Way — The Wildlife Trust identifies the rare crested cow-wheat on the banks of the ditch along the western boundary. Look carefully and avoid disturbing plants.
When to go
· The Wildlife Trust recommends spring and autumn but does not specify a time of day.
Spring and autumn are the seasons recommended by the Wildlife Trust. The source also notes spring woodpecker activity and flowers associated with the coppiced areas and boundary ditch.
Check conditions before visiting. The source does not provide weather or ground-condition guidance.
What to look for
Notice the wood’s sinuous outline and the substantial wood bank, particularly on the south and east sides. Look for evidence of coppicing, flowers and insects in lighter areas, and listen for woodpeckers in spring. The Wildlife Trust also identifies cowslips and the rare crested cow-wheat along the Mere Way boundary ditch.
The story
Medieval woodland outline and traditional coppicing
Best time to go
Spring and autumn, as recommended by the Wildlife Trust.
The Wildlife Trust recommends spring and autumn. In spring, listen for woodpeckers drumming and look for woodland flowers; in autumn, visit for the season the Trust specifically recommends.
How long to spend
1–2 hours
Perfect for
Walkers · Wildlife lovers · Photographers
Before you go
Address
Website
Listed hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
Check before visiting.
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs & Northants says the wood is open at all times with no entry fee. Park in Highfields Caldecote and walk up the signposted bridleway at TL350582; at the wood, turn left to find the entrance.
Parking
Park in Highfields Caldecote and walk to the wood via the signposted bridleway at TL350582. Parking details beyond this direction are not specified; check before visiting.
Check before visiting
Toilets
Check before visiting
Check before visiting
Food & drink
Check before visiting
Check before visiting
Dogs
Dogs on a lead, according to the Wildlife Trust.
Accessibility
The Wildlife Trust says the site is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs.
Cost
Free
Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Hardwick Wood
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
